List of people from Laguna Beach, California explained

The following is a partial list of notable people who have been full-time or significant part-time residents of Laguna Beach, California, United States.

Actors

• George Beranger^[1]
• William Boyd^[2]
• Barbara Britton^[3]
• America Chedister^[4]
• Bette Davis^[5]
• Robert Englund^[6]
• Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.^[7]
• Mike Farrell and Judy Farrell^[8]
• Judy Garland^[7]
• Sterling Holloway^[9]
• Rock Hudson^[7]
• Tab Hunter^[10]
• Elmo Lincoln^[10]
• Fredric March^[10]
• Victor Mature^[10]
• Kent McCord^[10]
• Bette Midler^[11]
• Mary Miles Minter^[12]
• Polly Moran^[13]
• Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Nelson^{[14] [15]}
• Franklin Pangborn^[16]
• Gigi Parrish^[17]
• Mary Pickford^[7]
• Adele Ritchie^[18]
• Mickey Rooney^[7]
• Ruth Roman^[19]
• Rita Rudner^[20]
• Charlotte Shelby^[21]
• Margaret Shelby^[21]
  • Grant Sullivan Slim Summerville^[10]
• Claire Trevor^[10]
• Bobs Watson
• Rudolph Valentino^[7]

Artists

• Mark Bloch, conceptual artist, writer ^[22]
• Mark Chamberlain, photographer ^[23]
• Frank Cuprien, painter and "Dean of Laguna Artists" ^[24]
• Paul Blaine Henrie, painter ^[25]
• Abby Williams Hill, painter ^{[26] [27]}
• Anna Althea Hills, painter and founder of Laguna Art Museum ^[28]
• Thomas Lorraine Hunt, painter ^[29]
• George Hurrell, photographer ^[30]
• Frank Interlandi, editorial cartoonist ^[31]
• Bil Keane, cartoonist ^[32]
• Marie Boening Kendall, painter ^[33]
• Joseph Kleitsch, painter ^[34]
• Roger Kuntz, painter ^[35]
• William Mortensen, photographer ^[36]
• Edgar Alwin Payne, muralist and founder of Laguna Beach Art Association
• William Grant Sherry, painter ^[10]
• George Gardner Symons, painter ^[37]
• William Wendt, "Dean of Southern California artists" ^[38]
• Robert William Wood, painter ^[39]
• Robert Wyland, muralist ^[40]
• Karl Yens, painter ^[41]

Athletes

• Hobie Alter, surfboard and sailboat designer ^[42]
• Damon Berryhill, baseball player ^[43]
• Dain Blanton, volleyball player ^[44]
• Colt Brennan, football player ^[45]
• Gavvy Cravath, baseball player ^[46]
• Lindsay Davenport, tennis player ^[47]
• Paul Deem, Olympic cyclist ^[48]
• Annika Dries, water polo player ^[49]
• Dusty Dvorak, volleyball player ^[50]
• Seth Etherton, baseball pitcher ^[51]
• Janet Evans, swimmer ^[52]
• Scott Fortune, volleyball player ^[53]
• Warren Gill, baseball player ^[54]
• Tom Harmon, football player and sportscaster
• Jon Leach, tennis player ^[55]
• Rick Leach, tennis player ^[56]
• Tom Morey, inventor of the "Boogie Board" ^[57]
• John H. Outland, namesake of college football Outland Trophy
• Mike Parsons, surfer ^[58]
• John Pitts, football player ^[59]
• Rachel Wacholder, beach volleyball player and model ^[60]
• Dani Weatherholt, soccer player^[61]
• Lefty Williams, baseball player ^[62]

Musicians and singers

• Frieda Belinfante, conductor and founder of the Orange County Philharmonic Orchestra^[63]
• Taylor Hawkins, rock drummer, Foo Fighters ^[64]
• Marion Hutton, big band singer ^[65]
• Paula Kelly, big band singer ^[66]
• Ricky Nelson, pop singer ^[10]
• Jack Norworth, songwriter (wrote "Take Me Out to the Ballgame") ^[67]
• Lee Rocker, bassist, The Stray Cats ^[68]
• Vic Schoen, big band leader ^[69]
• Richie Sambora, rock guitarist, Bon Jovi ^[70]
• Ty Segall, singer-songwriter ^[71]

Writers

• Gregory Benford, author and astrophysicist ^[72]
• Forrest E. "Skip" Fickling, author ^[73]
• M. F. K. Fisher, culinary writer ^[74]
• Arnold Hano, sportswriter ^[75]
• Lisi Harrison, author^[76]
• Hedda Hopper, gossip columnist ^[77]
• Lawrence Clark Powell, author and librarian ^[78]
• John Steinbeck, author ^[79]
• Theodore Taylor, author ^[80]
• John Weld, journalist ^[81]
• Charles Wright, poet ^[10]

Other

• George Adamski, ufologist ^[82]
• Buzz Aldrin, astronaut ^[83]
• Steve Arterburn, radio talk show host ^[84]
• Heidi Baker, missionary ^[85]
• Steve Bannon, political advisor ^[86]
• Florence "Pancho" Barnes, pioneer aviator ^[17]
• Warren Buffett, business magnate ^[10]
• Ron Burkle, business magnate ^[11]
• David P. Bushnell, businessman^[87]
• David O. Carter, federal judge ^[88]
• Jonathan R. Cohen, American diplomat ^[89]
• Lauren Conrad, reality television personality, Fashion Designer ^[90]
• William S. Darling, art director ^[91]
• Bhagavan Das (formerly Michael Riggs), yogi ^[92]
• Charles Douglass, inventor of the laugh track^[93]
• Frank Fertitta III, casino owner ^[94]
• Joe Francis, founder of Girls Gone Wild ^[95]
• Christine Fugate, film director ^[96]
• Pelham D. Glassford, United States Army Brigadier General^[97]
• David B. Goldstein, human geneticist
• Bill H. Gross, investor and fund manager ^[98]
• Sue Gross, investor ^[99]
• Richard Halliburton, adventurer ^[100]
• Douglas Hodge (born 1957), CEO of PIMCO^[101]
• John Mills Houston, United States Congressman ^[102]
• Christine Jorgensen, transsexual pioneer ^[103]
• Thelma Keane, businessperson ^[32]
• Eiler Larsen, town greeter ^[104]
• Timothy Leary, psychologist and LSD advocate ^[105]
• Greg MacGillivray, filmmaker ^[106]
• Alan MacPherson, patent lawyer ^[107]
• Peter Navarro, economist and filmmaker ^[108]
• Ward Ritchie, publisher and bibliophile ^[109]
• Malcolm St. Clair, film director ^[13]
• Robert A. Schuller, televangelist ^[110]
• Walter Terence Stace, philosopher ^[111]
• Samuel Totten, history professor ^[112]
• Peter Ueberroth, sports commissioner ^[113]
• Lila Zali, ballerina ^[114]

Notes and References

1. News: A Laguna Beach Silent Film Star's Story Sounds a Lot Like "The Artist". Kane. Rich. March 6, 2012. Laguna Beach Patch. 14 November 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120308141812/http://lagunabeach.patch.com/articles/a-laguna-beach-silent-film-star-s-story-sounds-a-lot-like-the-artist#photo-first. 8 March 2012.
2. Obituary Variety, September 20, 1972.
3. August 22, 1949. West Coast Theater: It Gives Film Stars Fling At The Stage. Life Magazine. 27. 8. 41–44.
4. Dianne Russell, "The Griffith Three Arch Bay property added to National Register of Historic Places", Stu News Laguna, March 19, 2021, accessed 8 October 2023
5. News: Laguna Beach : A Salute for Former Resident Bette Davis . Los Angeles Times . October 11, 1989 .
6. Web site: Robert Englund . Authors Biography . Simon & Schuster . 2011-10-07.
7. Eve . Belson . ...Laguna Beach struggles to maintain its Local Color . . November 1991 . 74–93.
8. Book: Farrell, Mike. Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist. 2007. Akashic Books/RDV Books. 9781933354484. 61–68. registration.
9. News: Sterling Holloway, Voice of Disney Characters, Dies . Los Angeles Times . Burt . Folkart . B1 . November 24, 1992.
10. News: Laguna Beach Has Been Many Things to Many People . Nancy . Wride . Dennis . McClellan . Los Angeles Times . October 29, 1993 . A9.
11. News: Bette Midler Selling Divine Home. Reckard. E. Scott. March 3, 1998. Los Angeles Times. Real estate. 22 October 2013.
12. Book: Higham, Charles . Murder in Hollywood: solving a silent screen mystery . registration . 204 . University of Wisconsin Press . October 27, 2004. 9780299203603 .
13. News: Course of History. Epstein. Benjamin. February 19, 1998. Los Angeles Times. 11 October 2013.
14. News: Ozzie, Harriet aren't Thinking of Retiring . Wilmington Morning Star . Copley News Service . Anderson . Nancy . November 5, 1972 . D7.
15. News: Memories of Life With Ozzie . Nashua Telegraph . Los Angeles Times News Service. September 1, 1981 . 29.
16. Book: Stern, Keith. Queers in History: the comprehensive encyclopedia of historical gays. September 2, 2009. BenBella Books. 9781933771878 . 356.
17. Book: Jones, Roger W.. Laguna Beach California: An Illustrated Narrative History. 2003. Rockledge Enterprises. 0-9676989-2-8.
18. Mrs. Guy Bates Post and Hostess Found Dead in Home. The New York Times, April 25, 1930, p. 1
19. News: Ruth Roman, 75, Glamorous and Wholesome Star, Dies . September 11, 1999 . The New York Times . William H. . Honan . William H. Honan.
20. News: Dunn. Samantha. The Funny Business of Rita Rudner. The Orange County Register. January 3, 2016. Local 1, 10.
21. News: Daughter Sues Mrs. Shelby . Los Angeles Times . October 18, 1936 . B14.
22. Bloch, Mark. "Why Am I Sitting in the Window of the Farehheit 451 Bookstore?," Panmag (ISSN 0738-4777) Issue 451 (Nov. 16, 1980), pp. 1,2,8, Laguna Beach, New York.
23. Daniella Walsh “Still Tilting at Windmills, Chamberlain Earns the Praise of His Peers” Laguna Beach Independent, 16 October 2014.
24. News: Laguna Honors Frank Cuprien. https://archive.today/20130201122128/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/413777001.html?FMT=AI&FMTS=::AI:CITE:PAGE&type=historic&date=Aug+24,+1941&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Laguna+Honors+Frank+Cuprien. dead. February 1, 2013. August 24, 1941. Los Angeles Times. 20. 19 November 2012. Laguna Beach.
25. News: Leslie . Berkman . Laguna Beach Art -- It Aims to Please . . September 10, 1975 . C1.
26. Book: Kovinick. Phil. Yoshiki-Kovinick. Marian. An encyclopedia of women artists of the American West. American Studies. January 1998. University of Texas Press. 9780292790636.
27. Web site: A Woman in Love with the Great Wide Open. Huberman. Bond. October 2, 2009. City Arts. Encore Media. 12 October 2013. Tacoma. https://web.archive.org/web/20110625120947/http://www.cityartsonline.com/issues/tacoma/2009/10/woman-love-great-wide-open. 25 June 2011. usurped.
28. Book: Independent spirits: women painters of the American West, 1890-1945 . Patricia . Trenton . Sandra . D'Emilio . University of California Press. 1st . November 27, 1995 . 66–71.
29. Book: Stern, Jean . Jean Stern (art historian) . Masters of Light: Plein-Air Painting in California 1890-1930 . The Irvine Museum . 2002 . 124–25 . 978-0971409231.
30. Postrel, Virginia: "Starlight and Shadow", The Atlantic July/August 2009, P148.
31. https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-frank-interlandi10-2010feb10-story.html Dennis McLellan, "Frank Interlandi dies at 85; former L.A. Times editorial cartoonist," Los Angeles Times, February 10, 2010
32. News: Family Circus visits the city. Morch. Al. August 2, 1986. San Francisco Examiner. 22 April 2024. 9.
33. Web site: Marie Boening Kendall Sycamores California. 27 January 2017.
34. Book: Domonik, Janet S.. Early Artists in Laguna Beach: The Impressionists. 1986. Laguna Beach Art Museum. 0-940872-06-4. 73–90.
35. News: Remembering Laguna Beach's Roger Kuntz. Gordon. John. April 1, 2009. OC Metro. 13 November 2012.
36. Book: Vogel, Claire Marie . Images of Laguna Beach . Arcadia Publishing . 2009 . 978-0-7385-6997-0 . 95–96.
37. Anna A. . Hills . Laguna Beach Art Association . The American Magazine of Art . 10 . 1 . November 1918 . 459–463.
38. Web site: William Wendt: Plein Air Painter of California . Will . South . Laguna Art Museum:In Nature's Temple: The Life and Art of William Wendt . Resource Library . November 28, 2008.
39. News: Rites Pending for Artist Robert Wood. March 17, 1979. Los Angeles Times. B1.
40. News: Artist Wants to Give City a 'Whaling Wall' . Los Angeles Times . Glenn . Burkins . December 9, 1984 . OC_A4 . https://archive.today/20120714094818/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/675003972.html?dids=675003972:675003972&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+09,+1984&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Artist+Wants+to+Give+City+a+'Whaling+Wall'&pqatl=google. dead. July 14, 2012.
41. News: Laguna--Habitat of World-Famed Artists. Robinson. W. W.. August 26, 1923. Los Angeles Times. X14. 18 November 2012.
42. News: Top Cat: Hobie Alter Created His Own Style of Sailing . Rich . Roberts . August 26, 1987 . 8 . Los Angeles Times.
43. Web site: Damon Berryhill Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com. 2008-04-25.
44. News: Blanton Moves From the Waves to the Beach . Los Angeles Times . Irene . Garcia . July 25, 1997 . C3.
45. Chris Dufresne, Cult of Colt, Los Angeles Times, August 25, 2007.
46. [William Swank]
47. News: Davenport Has the Home-Court Edge; Tennis: The Laguna Beach resident, coming off knee surgery, aims for her fourth Manhattan Beach title . Los Angeles Times . Lauren . Peterson . Aug 4, 2002 . 12.
48. Web site: Paul Deem: An Olympic Cyclist's Triumph over Tragedy . Carisa Carlton . Laguna Beach Gazette . 2013-09-22.
49. News: Hometown Girl Receives Royal Treatment. Staff. September 5, 2012. Laguna Beach Independent. 13 November 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130301151819/http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/2012/09/05/hometown-girl-receives-royal-treatment/. 1 March 2013. dead.
50. Web site: Dusty Dvorak . Honorees . Volleyball Hall of Fame . 2005 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100822014542/http://www.volleyhall.org/dvorak.html . 2010-08-22 .
51. Web site: Seth Etherton Stats . Baseball Almanac . 2012-04-05.
52. News: Scott M. . Reid . It's Still Early for Janet Evans . Laguna News-Post . 9 . 28 June 2012 .
53. News: Scott Fortune . 1996 Roster . Washington Post . January 8, 1996.
54. News: Sportraits. Wolf. Al. July 11, 1949. Los Angeles Times. 1, C2.
55. News: He's Trying to Match Up : Jonathan Leach, 15, Breaks Through Shadows Cast on Tennis Courts by Father and Brother. Dillman. Lisa. April 30, 1988. Los Angeles Times. 31 December 2015.
56. News: Class of '83 : Rick Leach, Tennis Champion : Despite Basketball's Lure, He Stars on Another Court . Los Angeles Times . February 5, 1992 . Fernanco . Dominguez .
57. News: Dreams Guide the Boogie Man . The Vindicator (from The Orange County Register) . Gary . Robbins . July 17, 1995.
58. Encyclopedia: Parsons, Mike. Ellis. Grant. Jason Murray. Encyclopedia of Surfing. encyclopediaofsurfing.com. 9 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20170305011953/http://encyclopediaofsurfing.com/entries/parsons-mike. 5 March 2017. dead.
59. News: Los Angeles Times . John Pitts Is Still Practicing What He Preaches Football: Former Laguna Beach star athlete . Tom . Birschbach . Mar 27, 1992. C8.
60. Web site: Rachel Wacholder . USA Volleyball . United States Olympic Committee . 2011-10-09.
61. News: 2016 NWSL Draft: Orlando Pride Select Santa Clara Midfielder Dani Weatherholt . Hernandez . Luis G. . January 15, 2016 . The Mane Land.
62. News: September 18, 2006 . Between the Seams: Trying to outrun a Black mark . Gary A. . Warner . The Orange County Register.
63. Pasles, Chris, “Cultural Pioneer Still a Voice for Excellence”, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb 1987, p. OC-E1.
64. News: March 24, 2006 . Daily News of Los Angeles . Whose Coattails.
65. Book: Simon, George Thomas. Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. August 22, 1980. Da Capo Press. 978-0306801297. 137.
66. News: Paula Kelly; Sang With Modernaires, Glenn Miller. Folkart. Burt A.. April 4, 1992. Los Angeles Times. 7 November 2015.
67. News: They're still belting out his 102-year-old hit . Anton, Mike . . 2010-07-12 . 2010-07-28 .
68. News: Set This Idea to Music: A Stray Cat Has 9 Lives . New York Times . Thomas Staudter . April 9, 2006 . 2009-11-22.
69. News: Vic Schoen, Musician and Composer, Dies at 83. Gottlieb. Jeff. January 8, 2000. Los Angeles Times. 7 November 2015.
70. News: Bon Jovi guitarist arrested for drunken driving . Reuters . Dan . Whitcomb . 26 March 2008 . 5 December 2019.
71. Bevann. David. Ty Segall: A Portrait of the Artist as F***in' Psyched! . . 16 October 2012.
72. News: The Science of Fiction : UCI Astrophysicist Gregory Benford Puts Reality Into His Novels. McLellan. Dennis. August 28, 1994. Los Angeles Times. 13 December 2015. Irvine.
73. News: Skip Fickling, Honey West Creator, Dies. McLellan. Dennis. August 11, 1998. Los Angeles Times. 23 October 2012.
74. Book: Zimmerman, Anne . Counterpoint . 2011 . An Extravagant Hunger: The Passionate Years of M.F.K. Fisher . 978-1-58243-546-6 . registration .
75. http://static1.squarespace.com/static/53881470e4b04631a5e04ebb/t/5403ff6ae4b0a35ea01dd6ca/1409548138192/Historical+Society+Newsletter+November+2011.pdf "Arnold Hano: History Not Always Made by a Committee"
76. Web site: Hard to write in beautiful Laguna, but write she does. Joanna. Clay. Los Angeles Times. 15 April 2011 . 10 January 2017.
77. News: Laguna Beach: Recalling Glory Days of Treasure Island . Leslie . Earnest . Los Angeles Times . Orange County . July 6, 1993 . 2.
78. Barr, Norah Kennedy (1993), Foreword to Stay Me, Oh Comfort Me: journals and stories, 1933–1941, M. F. K. Fisher. New York: Pantheon Books p.XI
79. Book: Berg, Henry . John Steinbeck . 24 . Chelsea House Publications . September 2002.
80. News: Laguna Beach Writer Finishes Sequel to His Controversial 'Cay' . 5 April 2012 . Dennis McClellan . July 3, 1992 . The Los Angeles Times .
81. News: John Weld, 98; Newspaperman, Author, Screenwriter . Home . Los Angeles Times . July 22, 2003 . B10.
82. Book: Bennett, Nick. Looking for Orthon: The Story of George Adamski, the First Flying Saucer Contactee, and How He Changed the World. January 1, 2008. Cosimo. 9781605200675. 19.
83. News: Catching up with Apollo alumni . USA TODAY . McLean, Va. . July 20, 1994 . 6A.
84. News: Laguna man's TV show helps engaged couple. Clay. Joanna. February 16, 2012. Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. 24 August 2013.
85. Stafford. Tim. May 18, 2012. Miracles in Mozambique: How Mama Heidi Reaches the Abandoned. Christianity Today. 56. 5. 18. January 4, 2016.
86. News: Meet Donald Trump's new campaign managers. Mehta. Seema. August 17, 2016. Los Angeles Times. 24 April 2017.
87. News: David Bushnell, 92, Importer of Affordable Binoculars, Dies. Jennifer Bayot. 31 March 2005. Obituaries. New York Times. 9 September 2013.
88. News: O.C. Jurist Is Confirmed as Federal Judge. Weinstein. Henry. October 22, 1998. Los Angeles Times. 24 October 2013.
89. Web site: Biography: Jonathan R. Cohen. US Department of State. 2017.
90. News: Blond Ambition Comes in Flats or Heels. Ogunnaike. Lola. 2006-06-11. New York Times. 2008-05-19.
91. Book: Vazzana, Eugene Michael . 120 . Silent film necrology . July 16, 2001 . McFarland & Company . 2 . 978-0-7864-1059-0.
92. Book: Goldberg, Phillip . American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation How Indian Spirituality Has Shaped the West . Random House . 2010 . 225 . 9780385521345 .
93. News: Dorothy Lorraine Douglass 1918-2014 . . March 4, 2014 . December 4, 2015.
94. News: Martial-Arts Mogul Buys Beachfront Estate. Bramasco. Andrew. Wall Street Journal. 22 October 2013.
95. News: Baby, Give Me a Kiss. Hoffman, Claire. 2006-08-06. 2006-08-15. Los Angeles Times.
96. News: Moving Past Her Pain . Coastline Pilot . Laguna Beach . Ashley . Breeding . October 2, 2009 . 2013-10-17.
97. Web site: Biography, Pelham D. Glassford . askART.com . Pacific University . Eugene, OR . December 11, 2016.
98. News: Marilyn . Kalfus . Bond king to beach king: Bill Gross picks up another $30 million-plus mansion in Laguna Beach . Orange County Register . 8 August 2018 . 5 December 2019.
99. News: #1717 Sue Gross . Forbes . Profile . 5 December 2019.
100. Book: Vogel, Claire Marie . Images of Laguna Beach . Arcadia Publishing . 2009 . 978-0-7385-6997-0 . 63.
101. News: Two charged in college admissions scandal resign from Sage Hill School's board . LA Times . 14 March 2019 . Hillary . Davis.
102. John Houston, New York Times, April 30, 1975.
103. News: Jerry . Parker . Christine Jorgensen hits Landmark Age. Los Angeles Times Service . November 19, 1979 .
104. News: Laguna Beach Greeter Left Indelible Mark . Cecilia . Rasmussen . . January 6, 2008 . 2011-09-26.
105. News: Timothy Leary in Laguna . September 23, 2005 . Barbara . Diamond . Huntington Beach Independent.
106. News: For Laguna's Greg MacGillivray, filmmaking is a family business. Liddane. Lisa. April 13, 2012. Orange County Register. 17 October 2013.
107. News: Alan MacPherson, 1934-2008. Elinson. Zusha. December 17, 2008. The Recorder. Law.com. 5 April 2012.
108. News: Death by China. Staff. November 6, 2012. Orange County Register. 17 October 2013.
109. News: Ward Ritchie; Master Printer, Bibliophile. Oliver. Myrna. January 27, 1996. Los Angeles Times. Obituary. 13 November 2012.
110. News: Schuller keeps his distance from PTL scandal . St. Petersburg Times . Leslie . Berkman . Aug 1, 1987 . 12E.
111. News: Dr. Walter Stace, Philosopher, Dies . . August 5, 1967 .
112. July 2, 2012. Genocide Scholar Retires.... Colleague. University of Arkansas.
113. Web site: Ex-baseball commissioner gets USOC post . ESPN . June 15, 2004.
114. News: From Plans to Pointes, Lila Zali Has Led Ballet Pacifica for 25 Years. Curtis. Cathy. November 14, 1987. Los Angeles Times. 3.